Return of the {pre Baby} Mac

It’s been puzactly one month since I wrote this post and decided that I needed to shift a little weight from my frame and attempt to stick with something for more than 7 minutes, which is usual time frame that I stick to things when it comes to weight loss.

So how has it been going?

: I am now 4 kilos lighter than I was a month ago and it appears I CANNOT move past this
: I try and go for a walk/run each and every day although that seems to mean 4 times max a week
: The walk run is mostly walk but getting more run. It’s 4km’s from my house and back and it climbs up a mountain (well 128 metres so it seems like a mountain). I see cows and rabbits and sometimes a wombat along the way. It is SO beautiful.
: When I started going my time was 35 minutes 28 seconds. This morning I did it in 28 minutes 55 seconds that is a WHOLE 6 MINUTES FASTER MOFO’S!
: I am a whole lot fitter than I was a month ago
: My clothes are looser and I can fit back into some size 12 jeans that I wore for about 2 weeks this time last year which was the last time they fit me
: My skin and eyes are clearer
: My mind is sharper
: My patience is longer
: I achieve more on the days when I exercise to the days when I don’t
: My mental health and well being is a gazillion times better than it was

What about the food you are shovelling into your mouth?

: I have tried to cut out most sugar from my life but have been pretty loose on the rules. I don’t have sugar in coffee but I might have some wholemeal toast which probably has some sugar in it if I could be bothered to figure it out. I still drink wine but try and have 2 or 3 alcohol free nights a week. I haven’t had biscuits or chocolate AT ALL except for one piece of Harper’s Birthday cake, a banana choc chip muffin & crumble last week and a teeny bit of slice on Monday this week. I don’t miss it. Really.
: The first 3 weeks I was VERY strict about carbs. No bread whatsoever. This has gotten slack and I have some wholemeal bread on a sambo but I have also stopped losing weight. I swear bread is the reason. I have still been having pasta or the occasional roast potato. You gotta LIVE people!
: Lunch is tuna most days which is lucky for me cause I love it. Salads, salads and more salads. Snacks are nuts or nuts or nuts. I haven’t been eating any fruit because of the sugar in it.
: I still drink coffee with milk every day. Again, living peeps, living
: I still don’t drink nearly as much water as I should

So there you have it. I feel like I am about half way with where I want to be. Another 4 or 5 kilos would be awesome and would take me back to when I was probably in the best shape of my life – when I got married. I cannot seem to lose weight at the moment – whether it’s a plateau or muscle, or whatever, I cannot seem to budge past the same weight for the past 2 weeks. That’s annoying. Actually it’s beyond annoying it’s a pain in the arse that makes you want to stop because seriously, what’s the point? But that’s all part of it right?

There isn’t anything much better than someone telling you you look great. Have you lost weight? YOU BET YOUR LAZY ARSE I HAVE! There isn’t anything much better than putting clothes on and have them fit you. Properly. I still think it’s magic that one day pants don’t fit and then a week or so later they do – like magic! Hard, sweaty magic that is. Rob has been a great help to me – him being just a few kilos off losing 20 whole kilos himself. He is well and truly in the zone and I am *almost* in the zone. Maybe. Sure, I look at that jam and butter and toast and think to myself how good it would be, but I am trying to switch off, quickly and move onto other things – it’s just food. Just fuel. And DEAR GOD I want to try and not think about it as being anything else. Not a reward. Not a comfort. Just beautiful food that fills you up, and gives you energy to get stuff done. And most of all there isn’t anything much better than feeling good about yourself. Setting yourself goals, sticking to them, and achieving them. Feeling like you are doing good at something. Even if it’s just going down the road for 5 metres it’s 5 metres more than you would be doing on the couch. Feeling good about myself makes me a better partner and a better Mum – regardless of what my pant size is showing me that has to be worth it.

Isn’t it so annoying how that’s true? Stupid exercise.

Comments

  1. MATE – good ON you, I love it when people start noticing your weight loss! xx

  2. Well done. I am very impressed. Maybe I should out the bread and see if that is what keeping up my weight.
    Love it when you can’t fit into something and a week later it does. You are amazing (sorry for being mussy, just got back from an hour personal training session and light-headed). Have a great week-end.

  3. I hate that plateau with a passion. I’ve got the same one! Keep it up, girl!

  4. Thats so great, well done!!!
    You have a great attitude towards it all too, like you said you have to LIVE haha! One baked potato is worth it πŸ™‚

  5. Hey Beth, now that you know you can stick to something try the Michelle Bridges book “Lose the last 5 kgs”. It is calorie controlled so you can still have you’d coffee and a little chocolate here and there but it is full of fresh fruit, veg and protein. Her recipes are delish. The exercise is tough but if you do it at your pace you will still see results. I did and I didn’t stick to the exercise program.

    My only problem is I can’t find the motivation to do it again even if it works.

    Well done so far and good luck with the next few kegs.

  6. Dude, I am telling you right now, those pics of Harper’s birthday were total evidence of just how hard you’ve been working! You look HOT!! It’s totally important for people to notice how fucking hard you’ve been working it cos it gives you the pep to keep going, to keep remembering that food is fuel, and life is fucking grand (with or without that scrumptious bit of toast!).

  7. I’m so proud of you! You’ve done it all the right way and aren’t depriving yourself too much which is so important.
    Don’t worry to much about what the scales are saying. As you’re doing more exercise, your muscles are becoming stronger and muscle weighs more than fat. You’re best off going by how your clothes fit than by what the scales say. Keep doing what you’re doing and you’ll be there in no time. Go Beth! xxx

  8. Hi Beth, Congratulations on your weightloss, and more importantly, the way you now feel. I too have lost about 4 kgs recently and have now plateaued. What I have learned is that when you go on too much of a restrictive diet you increase the cortisol levels in your body. This is the stress hormone that in ancient times got us through famine or hard winters. It’s a stress hormone that increases your body’s ability to store fat and it also slows your metabolism. Maybe that explains the plateau, who knows? So maybe you need to have a little fruit for the nutrient factor and to stop your body from thinking there’s a famine going on. Put some fruit into a green smoothie (bit of a fad at present I think) so you get the goodness of a leafy green at the same time. My best weight loss trick is giving up gluten. It had amazing results for me. Good luck with it all.

  9. Well done and what you have achieved. I think sometimes we worry too much about the things we haven’t got right and forget to give oursevles credit for what we are doing right. As you say, even if you only go 5m down the road – it is 5m more than you were doing before.

    Maybe a trip to the naturopath to make sure your metabolism is all good and that your liver is functioning like it should.

    Good luck and keep up the great job you are doing !
    Me

  10. Bloody brilliant. To say no to chocolate and (mostly) bread. They are my two greatest loves. Go you! You’re doing a great job.

  11. Hey – you do look great.
    Well done on your six minute improvement – that is awesome.
    Be careful, soon you’ll start talking about PBs and crazy crap!

    I love that you have still been living, celebrating and entertaining this whole time. Not mooching in diet mode.
    Good on you.
    You’ll get past the plateau.
    It’s there to tempt you to stop.
    (Somebody somewhere wants us all to be quitters!!)
    πŸ™‚

  12. Beth, you beast! That’s awesome, and I’m so impressed that you’ve stuck at it for a whole month. Totally agree that it’s all about how you feel rather than what the scales say. Keep up the great work xxx

  13. Thanks Beth
    You make it sound simple, I have a weakness for toast and jam and have to lose about 5-7kg and I think your advice sounds good, just switch of and turn to something else, like say a cup of tea no sugar, green tea or water. I will try that. I should take out the bread, and stop eating the crusts my children leave from their toast.
    But 4 kg is great, congratulations that is wonderful and I love all the positive things you mention that come with losing weight, the exercise, going for walks/runs, seeing nature, ( i love marsupials), feeling better and not cranky. I for once feel cranky all the time, and have not gone running for 2 weeks.
    anyway keep up the good work
    xx

  14. You are a machine Beth! That goddam plateau, I have been on it since August now, losing and gaining the same 1.5kgs and I just can’t seem to get past it. I have let it consume me too much the last few weeks and this week in particular has been rough, a couple of meals out with friends, such a treat but I have allowed it to be an excuse to eat badly which has lead to more bad eating and less running and then more guilt and more bad eating. I know I am on the edge of a precipice, but I have done SO WELL and got my head in the right place so I can’t let this get me down, I can’t slip back to that place again. Sigh.

  15. well done! I sadly don’t have time to read all the comments so apologies if someone has already said this, but…PORTION SIZES!! even if you’re eating healthy food if the portion size is too big, it’s too much food. so maybe try reducing your portion size from what you normally have and see if that makes a difference? (not that I’m suggesting your portion sizes are currently too big, but for all of us they can always be smaller πŸ™‚ )

  16. I don’t want to sound fake or gushy so I am just going to say…you’re blog is fantastic and you are an inspiration to me. I don’t have any weight loss answers. Just doing something is great. Give everything a crack and see what happens (not all at once tho!). I keep blaming baby fat but my youngest is 11 years old. Like that famous philospher – Rachel Hunter – once said “it won’t heppen overnight, but it will heppen”.

  17. Beth you’ve done fabulously! You’re looking great, and my GOD I am aiming to have legs like yours – I’d be happy with them right now actually.
    I’m stuck between a rock and a hard place right now, being so sick I can’t exercise without feeling like death and that makes me sad so I want to eat. Vicious.

    Keep at it, you’re a superstar!

  18. Kate Moss’ famous words often hit me when I’m about to tuck into a roast potato or 4…..

    ‘Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels’

    Does it stop me going back for a 5th? Most times not but occasionally yes!!!

    Keep up the good work Bettina. x

  19. Fabulous post and inspiring you!I also am on the weight loss trail and losing weight from cutting out sugar and most processed foods. I just think of anything processed as an occasional treat…also using a small dinner plate and watching portions. Good luck! Helen

  20. Congratulations!!
    I’ve been feeling much the same, but have yet to start my diet and exercise plan… Perhaps tomorrow…?
    You’ve definitely inspired me though – and I know it helps to document your progress and share it with someone.
    We all need encouragement from others!
    It’s fantastic that you’re feeling happier and fitter.
    Don’t stress, that last few kilos will be gone soon.
    Just keep at it!

  21. Well done Beth! Exercise is hard work. i try to remind myself before I start of the feeling I have at the end. (I don’t know if it is relief or accomplishment but I know it is good and it gets me through).

  22. Well done you… It so should be all about how you feel on the inside not look on the out but it just isn’t because how you look on the outside always dictates how you feel inside.. Well does in my f*%ke up little head anyhow….

    Please note that whilst writing this hubby and I have Victoria Secrets Catwalk Show onTV…. Ok off to talk to him up there in the big white telephone..only joking… I am useless at making myself sick…..could never be bulimic.

    Exercise and goodies eating will always win out, keep up the good work x

  23. Oh you are doing exactly what I need to be doing. Bread is a big factor for me too….if I cut it out I feel much less bloated & lethargic, so it’s definitely a whack of carbs that’s not doing me any favours. And the run/walk thing is the most enjoyable exercise for me….can’t run the whole distance, don’t feel like I’ve done enough if I just walk, so it’s a happy medium. I try to get in some light strength training & sometimes Pilates as well (all at home with DVDs). We have Thanksgiving coming up next week, so with that and the baking of goodies leading up to that and the leftovers after that, I’m basically hosed for the next week. But that month between Thanksgiving & Christmas is gonna be serious….gonna see if I can lose me 4kgs too! (btw that’s nearly 10 pounds, GO YOU!) Thanks SO much for the inspiration, good luck with that plateau πŸ™‚

  24. Walking/run is great for clearing my head. could not live a day without it! If I lose weight thats a bonus,but I think the biggest killer with weight gain is alcohol and carbs. Sadly. x

  25. Nice work and well done on your loss! Two things you can do to shift off the plateau, make sure you are eating enough (try somewhere like myfitnesspal.com to find out, it’s free) and change your exercise routine. Plateau’s happen because your body gets used to what you’re doing (can be either from either diet, exercise or both) and you need to shake things up to get the weight loss going again. My recommendation is to add in weights. You’ll be amazed by how much your body changes from using weights, even when the scales aren’t moving. Good luck for the next 4-5kgs!

  26. Congratulations Beth. Its great when the hard work pays off!!
    But I agree – bread is evil, but boy do I love it.
    Hubbie tries to tell me that I can eat bread … and if I want to work it off we could have sex.
    Think I will just pass on the bread – right?

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